• Crystal Palace were very much in the game after an entertaining first half
  • Arsenal proved to be more clinical
  • There were several worrying signs for Mikel Arteta's side

By talal osman

Crystal Palace lost 5-1 at home to Arsenal on Saturday night by a scoreline which flattered the vistors.

Mikel Arteta's side took the chances which their hosts squandered. The two clubs exchanged three goals in the first 15 minutes, with Gabriel Jesus nabbing a brace after his midweek hat-trick against the same opponents, before Kai Havertz poked the Gunners into a 3-1 half-time lead.

Palace continued to create and waste opportunities until Gabriel Martinelli's 60th-minute tap-in ended what had been an engaging contest. Declan Rice made it 5-1 in the closing stages to move Arsenal back into third place at the sharp end of the Premier League table.

How the game unfolded

Arsenal had to wait until the 54th minute of Wednesday's Carabao Cup quarter-final at the Emirates Stadium to find the net against Crystal Palace. Jesus fired the Gunners in front after six minutes at Selhurst Park on Saturday.

Ismaila Sarr slotted Palace level in the 11th minute, capping off a fluid passing sequence which began deep inside the hosts' own half. The Senegal international was the only Palace player to find the net, yet Oliver Glasner's side outshot Arsenal. The hosts, most notably Jean-Philippe Mateta, showed none of the clinical edge which Jesus had suddenly rediscovered.

Arsenal's reinvigorated Brazilian had scored one Premier League goal in the entirety of 2024, yet nabbed his second of the evening in the first half. For the fifth time this week, Jesus beat Dean Henderson, blasting a loose ball at the breakdown from a corner inside the near post.

Jesus had not entirely shed off his finishing issues. The number nine struck a post from with a header on the cusp of half-time which Kai Havertz was on hand to finish. When presented with an opening from point-blank range on the hour mark, Jesus had his effort beaten away by Henderson only for another teammate - on this occasion Gabriel Martinelli - to tuck away the loose ball.

Before Arsenal extended their lead in the second half, Palace had found time to squander two more chances, with Sarr limply nodded a pair of close-range headers into David Raya's welcoming gloves.

Rice added an undeserved layer of gloss to the scoreline in the 85th minute, bending a composed effort into the far corner to seal a victory which keeps Arsenal within touching distance of Chelsea and Liverpool.